Tuesday, 15 September 2015

Kalanchoe in Pot

Pen and watercolour on sketching paper

This Kalanchoe has been flowering like this for weeks and every time I looked at it I thought I must sketch it before the flowers fade. Yesterday I thought I had left it too late but it was only because I had forgotten to water it. After a quick drink the flowers looked pretty and perky once again! The proportions of my sketch are all out of whack but there was no preliminary drawing and I just wanted to keep my hand in with some sketching as I haven't done any for a while. So I'm fairly happy with it.

Now, I must warn you that there are copious amounts of photos ahead! I visited Kings Park last week as I am wont to do every September and it is impossible to leave without having given my camera a good work-out.

Last weekend I had an article published in The West Australian. It is all about enjoying the wildflowers that can be found in suburban Perth. Click herefor the online link if you would like to read it. Many of the pictures below will relate to the bit in the article about Kings Park.

Here comes the onslaught - I hope you make it to the end!

We are so lucky to have 400 hectares (1,000 acres) of park/bushland so close to the centre of the city; due to the great foresight of the original city planners.

So much work goes into getting the botanical garden looking stunning during spring. Over recent years so many new plants have gone in, and acre upon acre bristle with gorgeous native plants to admire. The boronia garden smelt divine!

In 1954 the Queen planted a eucalyptus tree in Kings Park to commemorate her visit.

It has since grown into a very regal specimen - as you can see from the tiara!

Other trees had been dressed for the festival too, and the entrance to the gift shop was also decorated with festive colour.

Then it was off on a guided tour through the native vegetation in the park.

Because many of our wildflowers are very delicate it is hard to convey how beautiful they look when actually in the bush. No doubt a better camera and a better photographer could do it justice but you just have to take my word for it that walking through the bush landscape in the height of spring will bring you to your knees!

The red and green kangaroo paws are furry to touch. They were growing in thickets in many areas.

Here you can almost feel you are in the middle of the bush miles from anywhere until you spot the tops of the skyscrapers in the distance.

To other matters, indie bookseller Oxford St. Books now have my books in stock. Yay!

43 comments:

Dear Wendy. Your Kalanchoe drawing is beautiful, really well done, I love the black/white mix with the colored focal point ! And congratulations on the publishing of your book, how exciting , you must be so happy ! Also wishing you good luck with other interesting articles :-) xx

Congratulations on the lovely article in the West Australian Wendy.And congratulations on the fact that a local bookshop stocks your books.Kings Park is always interesting, but even more beautiful in Spring!

You are very kind Sami! I have just visited your blog and seen that you too have recently been up to enjoy Kings Park! I love the angle you got of the Queen's tree. Didn't they do a spectacular job for the festival this year?

Thanks Wendy, I loved all the "dressed trees" and the Queen's tree was very well done. Loved it!!Don't know if you read my reply to your comment about the murals - there's a map of them, just have to enlarge and click. They're not all exactly where they appear to be, but will be around the area.Here is the link - https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zVuZCycQgyhc.kNssAA63jt48

Thanks so much for sending the link through Sami. I may have to make a day of spotting them soon! I have just popped over to your blog to check your reply. Also, earlier I left a comment on your second royal show post. Fantastic photos you posted!!

Beautiful images I am desperate to get there asap for some inspiration, work is keeping me busy and I live in the hills so I will have to make a day of it. Such a beautiful environment, lucky to have it.

Congratulations on the article!!! You write so well. Love all the photos of the park. The Queen's eucalyptus looks like it is wearing a dress. It is nice to have a place to escape in the middle of the city.

I love your painting. What a creative way you have. I must thank you for the trip through the park. What a fantastic place. I agree it was great they had the forethought to preserve all that land. We have some wonderful parks here, but I don't think any that large within the city.b I love the Queens tree all dressed for the occasion. I am off to find your book on Amazon! Have a great weekend.

Thanks so much Sharon! Yes, I believe Kings Park is one of the biggest inner-city parks in the world http://www.experienceperth.com/destinations/perth/kings-parkYou are very kind to take an interest in my book - Thank you! I hope you're having a great week!

Dear Wendy- What a great post. Your pen and ink sketch is gorgeous. Jumped over and read your published article. So good to read about your flora there. It is very different from ours and lovely from your photos. So fun to see and enjoy your spring blooms. Kings Park must be a fabulous place to enjoy. Thousand acres is a huge park. I can see why you would want to visit often. Thanks for sharing.

your Kalanchoe sketch is beautiful. I like it painted with watercolour while the background remains pen& ink. The trek through the botanical garden looks devine, there is something so uplifting about being in the midst of nature that makes one feel connected. Congrats on the article in the West Australian, and on selling your books at the shop. I'm sure you must feel very pleased indeed. Hooray, Wendy!

Thanks Sally! You are very encouraging!! I'm glad you like the sketch, after I posted it, it suddenly looked a little oppressive as I realised I had closed all the furniture in on itself. However, all good practise - and it was fun while doing it!

Wonderful sketch, great lines and the added color to the Kalanchoe puts it in center stage. Beautiful park, it must be amazing to visit it after a long winter. I love what they did with the Queen's tree, how fun to dress it up in her honor. It must be such a thrill to see your book in a shop. Congratulations on the article as well, great article! Thank you for sharing all the photos, I always enjoy them!!

Wendy--your sketch is beautiful... I would give anything to have the talent to draw and paint like you do...Oh those beautiful gardens!!!! Such a wonderful place to visit--- the Queens tree is an amazing gift-- I love that it is surrounded by a tiera-- that's such a wonderful story-- thanks for sharing the photos!!

I love the sketch Wendy. Proper proportions need not always be true for a sketch. It is sketching that counts and drawing is exploratory often any ways, right? I love the color just in the flowers and pot. We have no doubt what you were looking to capture, the rest stands in support of it.Keep at it... keep sketching...

Oh, I must say, seeing these photos, every so often one of them reminds me of here and our similar climates... home down under ; )

Thanks so much for your encouragement David! I love all the sketch-work you've been doing of late!

I'm glad the odd photo reminds you of your own neck of the woods! I always imagine that California would be the most similar part of America to Western Australia but I might be way off the mark. It would be nice to do a real life comparison some day!

... yep... I have known several Aussies here in California over the years. Never thought to ask them about our climates.Hey, are those eucalyptus trees in almost every photo? ; )We have thousands of them in So Cal.

Yes, eucalyptus trees are the predominant type of tree in Australia - most eucalypts are native to Australia with some species native to nearby countries. Apparently the ones you have in California originated from Australia in the late 1800s and have since become naturalised. I read where they have displaced some of your native trees and are very likely to blame for a lot of your wild fires. Because of their oils they are terribly flammable. There are endless bushfires in Australia during summer. Many of our plant species' seeds actually require fire to be able to germinate which seems like a pretty harsh way to go about reproduction!

I'm impressed at how prolific you have been with your beautiful ink sketches!

Yes, they are not native to California as many of our vegetation is not. I read somewhere (pre-internet) they were originally imported to be used for railroad ties because of their density and resistance to rotting.Unfortunately their twisty grain wreaked havoc during milling (cutting) and were prone to warping as they dried out.Don't know if that story is true, could have been in part at least.

They are not really to blame for the fires but do make them more intense for the reason you say.I think the seeds of pine trees also require fire to be released provided the fire is not too intense from years of undergrowth so it burns too hot.Nature takes care of things like that, we get in the way and allow the undergrowth to grow thick then we get those devastating wildfires.Thanks, Inking still... Keep drawing...

What a great post Wendy. Your sketch of the kalanchoe in the blue pot is lovely, I love it! The wildflowers of West Australia are legendary, and some day I hope to see them too. The size of that tree the Queen planted - it just goes to show how long she has been on the throne, doesn't it. Well done Her Majesty!

Thanks so much Patricia! Yes, we do have a stunning spring display every year - some years better than others depending on the winter rains. This year has been particularly good. And yes, the size of that tree does speak of the Queen's long reign!!

Hey Buddy! Love this post. Sorry late in commenting! Love the colorful Kalanchoe In Pot! Love that you left the background in black in white. Of course all the photos of the Australian flower and fauna are outstanding. My favorite photo could be seeing your book on the table! Yippee! Author and Artist Wendy B.Take care Mate!Your On The Mend Art Buddy!Michael

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This blog originally began as a vehicle to show the progress I was making with my weekly acrylic paintings. I am also a writer and find it a challenge trying to attend equally to the passion I feel for both art and words. In the process, this blog has since broadened to include all things creative and joyful in my life.

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